Air conditioner



July 31, 1934. J, H, voss ET AL 1,968,184

I AIR CONDITIONER Filed June 24, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l i John H Vbss, Harrgflfifeinmgea;

July 311, 1934. J. H. voss ET AL 1,968,184

AIR CONDITIONER Filed June 24, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I HMMW,

SMW

July 31, 1934.

J. H. voss ET AL AIR CONDITIONER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 24. 1932 v dbhhHWass, Har r ya? fil'einnwger;

Patented July 31, 1934 PATENT OFFICE AIR CONDITIONER John H. WM and Harry A. Stelnmeyer,

Chicago, l1l.

Applleation June 24, 1932, Serial No. 619,154

9 Claims. (Cl. 261-10) The invention relates to apparatus for puritying and controlling the temperature of air entering or being present in a room, ofiice or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an air washing device, which may also cool or heat the air passing through the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to purify or wash the air by mixing it with water, then divide the water from the air and suckthe air through pipes surrounded by water by means of a blower and discharge the conditioned air into the room which is to receive the air treated in the apparatus forming the subject matter of the-present invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which the water surrounding the air conducting pipes may be heated thereby also heating the purified air passing through said pipes.

Other objects not specifically mentioned may be easily ascertained and understood from the following description'in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof. It is however to be noted, that the invention is not to be limited or restricted to the exact construction and formation shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but that. the invention is' only to be limited by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is an elevation of the apparatus according to the present invention partly shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a top view of said apparatus, also partly shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a side view of said apparatus.

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly shown in section, of a modified form of the apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a modified arrangement of the pipes through which the air to be purified is taken into the apparatus, and shows said pipes in a cross sectional view.

Fig. 6 shows the same-pipes in side elevation.

Fig. 7 shows the air cooling pipes in rectangular cross section, and 4 Fig. 8 is an elevation of the pipes shown in Fi "I.

The apparatus according to the present invention is preferably arranged in a top housing 10 and a lower housing 11. On the top housing an intake 12 is provided, which may be constructed as shown best in Fig. 3. Here a horizontal intake conductor 13 is indicated communicating with phere and with its upper end with the intake conductor. In each portion of the intake 12 a regulator disc 15 is rotatably arranged, whereby the passage of air through the intake may be either limited or entirely interrupted. The abutting edges of the two housings are each provided with an outwardly extending flange 16 and 17 respectively, between which a packing 18 is located. In the top housing 10 a horizontal partition 19 is arranged and forms with the side and the top wall of said housing a mixing space 20. The intake conductor ends in this space.

The lower housing is filled with water, which is kept permanently at a certain level indicated at 21 in Fig. 1. .Inside the lower housing an air 15 casing 22 is located adjacent the bottom 01' the lower housing, and from this casing an air conductor 23 extends upwardly and communicates with its free end with the housing 24 of a blower (not shown} driven by a motor 25. The motor and the blower housing are supported by a bracket 26 and all these parts arranged inside a waterproof housing 27 in the lower housing 11. From the blower housing a pipe 28 extends outwardly. A pump 29 located in the water space in the lower housing is driven from the motor 25 and expels water from the lower housing through a pipe. This pipe extends through the horizontal partition 19 into the mixing space 20, so that the air taken in through the conductor 13 and the water sprayed through the sprayer pipe 30 will be mixed in said space, whereby the air will be washed and purified. A plurality of pipes 31 extend from the mixing space through the partition slanting downwardly. The lower ends of these pipes are arranged at a distance above the permanent water level 21.

From the air casing 22 a plurality of pipes 32 extend upwardly. The upper ends of said pipes are located inside the air space above the water level 21. The combined intake area of these pipes is equal to the intake area of the blower, and the combined intake area oi the slanting pipes 31 is equal approximately to one-halt the intake area of the blower. The water level 21 is kept at the desired height by means of overflow pipe 33. A sprinkling or sprayer pipe 34 is attached with its lower end to a valve 35 while its upper or spraying end extends through the horizontal partition 19. A short pipe 36 connects said valve with an ejector 37 which in turn is connected with the city water by means of a pipe 38 and a valve 39 adapted to regulate the flow of the water through the ejector. By tuming on the city water the ejector will cause some of the water in the lower housing to rise up into the air space above the water level, whereby a saving "of water is obtained. A drain pipe 40 provided with a valve 41 serves to conduct any into the overflow pipe 33. A drain valve 42 is provided and to empty the apparatus of water the valve 35 is closed and valve 42 opened.

To purify and cool the air the apparatus is operated as follows: The motor is started whereby the blower will suck air through the air conduit 23, the air casing 22, the pipes 32, the air space above the water level 21, the slanting pipes 31 the space above the horizontal parti tion 19 and the air intake 12. At the same time water will be sprayed upwardly throughthe pipe by means oi'the pump 29 driven by the motor 25, and when the valves 39 and are open through the pipe 34. The suction created above the horizontal partition will be very strong, and the air will rush through the pipes 31 at high velocity because the intake area of the slanting pipes 31 is only one half of the intake area of the blower so that a partial vacuum will be caused underneath the partition 19 and above the water level 21. The air rushing through the space above the partition will be mixed and thereby washed and purifle'd and somewhat moistened by the water sprayed by the pipes 30 and 34 respectively. The water which flows back through the pipes 31 is discharged upon the water in the lower housing, and as its temperature has been lowered considerably, it cools the body of water in the lower housing. This cleaned air is then cooled during its travel through the pipes 32, which are surrounded practically over their whole length by the water in the lower housing and is then expelled through the outlet 28 into the room which is to receive the purified and cooled air.

The top housing is held tightly to the lower housing by means of clamping bolts 43 extending through openings provided for that purpose in angles 44 fastened to the outside of the two hous- 39 ings and the bolts are connected with eachother by springs 45 forcing the top housing downwardly so that the flange 16 of the top housing will be pressed against the packing 18 resting on the flange 17 of the lower housing.

A pair of heating housings may be provided and may extend horizontally into the lower housing as indicated at 46. In these housings electric heating elements 4'? are arranged adapted to be connected to some source of electricity (not shown). By these means the water in the lower housing may be heated to a desired degree, so that the air sucked through the pipes 32 and surrounded by the warm water may be warmed. To observe the degree of temperature of the water in the lower housing a thermometer '48 may be attached to said housing and in order to observe the water level a water glass 49 may be arranged as indicated.

Instead of using slanting pipes of equal diameter as indicated in the drawings at 31, concentrically arranged pipes of different diameters may be used. It is however to be noted that the ratio between the inside area of all these pipes together 15 will be one half of the capacity of the blower.

condensed or other water from the air casing 22 flowing downwardly in housing 58. The lower The concentrically arranged pipes 50 are shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In Figs. '1 and 8 rectangular conductors 51 are shown, which may be substituted for the pipes 32 as long as the total area of the conductors together will equal the capacity of the blower.

In Fig. 4 a modification of the apparatus described above is shown. In this modification a motor 52 drives a blower 53 and a pump 54. The pump is provided with a suction pipe 55 through which water is drawn present in a housing 56. The water level 57 in this case is also a permanent one. An air housing 58 communicating with the atmosphere extends upwardly from the water housing 56 and an outlet pipe 59 connected with the pump conducts the water driven upwardly by said pump against a sprayer disc 60. A plurality of air pipes, the combined area of which is equal to one half of the capacity of the blower, is located in the air housing and the lower ends of these pipes 61 extend through a horizontal wall 62 closing the air housing at its bottom, and the upper ends of said pipes extend through a. horizontal partition 62a preventing spray water from ends are located inside the water housing but at a distance above the water level 5'1. A plurality of bent pipes 63 are arranged in the water housing so that one of the ends is located above the water level 5'! and the other ends extend through a side wall 64 of the water housing into a second air housing 65. Pipe 68 extends through the outer wall 67 f the second air housing 65 and the outer end of pipe is connected with the cooling coil of a refrigerator 69.- The other end of pipe 68 is submerged in the water in the housing 56. The free end of the cooling coil is attached to a pipe which communicates with the inlet of the pump 54. A pair of ducts 71 and '12 connects the intake of the blower 53 with the interior of the second air housing 65. When this apparatus is started by energizing the motor, water is driven upwardly by the pump 54 throughthe pipe 59 against the spraying disc'60. By the action of the blower air is sucked into the air housing 58 where it is washed and purified as well as cooled by the water spray. This mixture of water and air is then conducted or sucked through the pipes 61 into the housing 56 and the washed air willbe sucked through the pipes 63 into the housing 65 and through the ducts'7l and '12 into the blower from where it will be forced through the exhaust '73 into the room which is to receive the cooled and washed air. A portion of the water located in housing 56 is sucked by the pump through the cooling coil of the refrigerator 69 and then mixed with the rest of the cooling water lowering the temperature of the same. Thereby the temperature of the air forced through said water will be lowered also.

Having described our invention and how the same is to be used we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the class described, a housing containing water, the water being kept at a permanent level, an air housing above the water level and communicating with the atmosphere, a plurality of pipes surrounded by the water in the housing practically over their whole length so that only-their uppermost ends extend into the space above the water level,-another air housing above said space, a partition separating the housing and the space, a plurality of other pipes extending through the partition, their lower ends being located at a distance from the water level,

a second air housing located in the water housing, 1

the lower ends of the first named pipes communicating with the second air housing, a blower having an intake communicating with the second air housing, an outlet on the blower ending in the room provided with the air treated in the apparatus according to the present invention, a prime mover adapted to drive the blower, a pump adapted to be driven by the prime mover and a spray pipe connected with the outlet oi the pump and ending in the first air housing, the pump being adapted to be fed from the water in the housing.

2. In a device of the class described a housing containing water, the water being kept at a permanent level, an air housing above the water level and communicating with the atmosphere, a plurality of pipes surrounded by the water in the housing practically over their whole length, so that only their uppermost ends extend into the space above the water level, another air housing above said space, a partition separating the housing and the space, a plurality of other pipes extending through the partition, their lower ends being located at a distance from the water level, a second air housing located in the water housing, the lower ends of the first pipes communicating with the second air housing, a blower having an intake communicating the second air housing, an outlet on the blower ending in the room to be provided with the air treated in the apparatus according to the present invention, a prime mover adapted to drive the blower, a pump adapted to be driven by the prime mover, and a spray pipe connected with the outlet of the pump and ending in the firstair housing, the pump being adapted to be fed from the water in the housing, the combined area of the first set of pipes being approximately equal to the capacity of the blower, and the combined area of the second set of pipes being approximately equal to one half of the capacity of the blower.

-3. In a device of the class described a housing containing water, the water being kept at a permanent level, an air housing above the water level and communicating with the atmosphere, a plurality of pipes in said first named housing surrounded by the water in the housing practically over their entire length so that only their uppermost ends extend into the space above the water level, a second air space communicating with the intake of the blower, the other ends of the water surrounded pipes communicating wtih said second air space, a refrigerator, a cooling coil in said refrigerator, the intake of the pump being connected with said coil and with the interior of the water housing, a spray pipe attached to the outlet oi the pump, a partition in the first air housing located above the water level, the spray pipe extending through said partition and a plurality of pipes locatedin said first air housing, extending through the partition and ending above the water level.

4. In a device of the class described a housing containing water, the water being kept at a permanent level, an air housing above the water level and communicating with the atmosphere, a plurality of pipes surrounded by the water in the housing practically over their entire length, so that only their uppermost ends extend into the space above the water level, a second air space communicating with the intake 01' the blower, the other ends of the water surrounded pipes communicating with said second air space, the outlet of the blower communicating with the room to be provided with the air treated in the device, the intake of the pump being connected with the water housing, a horizontally extending partition dividing the air housing above the water level, a plurality of pipes in said housing, extending through said partition and ending at a distance above the water level, a spray pipe connected with the outlet of the pump and extending through the partition into the upper air space, and means contacting with the water in the housing for regulating the temperature of said water.

5. In combination, a housing for containing a liquid, a mixing chamber wherein the air is mixed with the liquid, means for separating the liquid from the air and discharging the air and liquid upon the liquid contained in the housing, air conduits surrounded bythe liquid substantially over their whole length and communicating with said separating means, a liquid pump having connections for pumping said liquid to the mixing chamber and an air circulating device having its intake connected to said conduits, and its discharge leading to the space which is to receive the treated air.

6. In combination, a housing for containing water, a mixing chamber wherein the air is mixed with the water, there being an air space in the housing above the level of the water, a plurality of pipes for conveying air and water from said mixing chamber to said air space, other pipes almost wholly surrounded by the water and com municating with said air space, a water pump having connections for pumping said water to the mixing chamber, and an air circulating device having its intake connected to said last mentioned pipes and its discharge leading to the space which isto receive the treated air, the intake 01 the air circulating device being approximately twice the cross-sectional area of the combined cross-sectional areas of the first mentioned pipes.

7. In combination, a housing containing a cooling liquid and an air space thereabove, an air housing communicating with the atmosphere, a plurality of restricted conduits through which air and the liquid are exhausted from the air housing, said conduits leading from the air housing, thence through said air space and discharging upon the surface of the cooling liquid, a second air housing, a plurality of restricted conduits leading from said air space above the level of the cooling liquid in the liquid housing, thence through the liquid and discharging into the second named air housing, a liquid pump having connections for discharging liquid from the liquid housing to the first mentioned air housing, and an air circulating device having its intake connected to said second named air housing, and its discharge leading to the space which is to receive the treated air.

8. In a device of the class described, a housing containing water, the water being kept at a permanent level and there being an air space above the water level, a mixing chamber above the air space and communicating with the atmosphere, a plurality of pipes surrounded by the water in the housing substantially over their whole length so that only their uppermost ends extend into the air space above the water level, a partition separating the air housing from the air space, a plurality of other pipes extending through the partition with their lower ends located at a distance from the water level, a second air housing located in the water housing, and into which the lower end of the first named pipes discharge air, a blower having an intake communicating with the second named air housing, an outlet on the blower for discharging the treated air, a water pump, means for driving the blower and water pump, and a discharge pipe connected to the water pump and discharging into the first named air housing, said water pump being fed from the water in the housing.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a housing containing water with an air space thereabove, an air housing above the air space and communicating with the atmosphere, a plurality of pipes surrounded by .the water in the housing substantially over their whole length, so that only their uppermost ends extend into the air space above the water level, a partition separating the air housing and air space, a plurality of other pipes extending through the partition, their lower ends being located at a distance from the water level, a lower air housing located in the water housing, and into which the lower ends of the first pipe discharge air, a blower having an intake communicating with the lower air housing, an outlet on the blower discharging into the space which is to JOHN H. VOSS. HARRY A. STEIN'MEYER. 

